Japan's Daiichi Sankyo aims for sales of 960B yen in 2009, by growing oversees

"We are aiming at increasing sales of 785.0 billion yen ($6.44 billion) in fiscal 2006 (estimate) to 960.0 billion yen in fiscal 2009 by expanding the overseas sales ratio to 40% or more of total sales," Takashi Shoda, president and chief executive of Daiichi Sankyo, said at the press conference to announce the company's First Mid-term Business Management Plan: FY2007-FY2009. The firm, which will complete its business integration in April this year, drew up the plan as an initial step to materialize its long-term Vision for 2015.

In this, Daiichi Sankyo aims to become a "global drug-discovery-oriented company," with the goals of 1,500.0 billion yen in sales, 25% or more in operating profit margin and a 60% or over foreign sales ratio in 2015. The company will focus on R&D in the therapeutic fields of thrombosis, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disease/rheumatoid arthritis to establish its pipeline as one of the top among world drugmakers.

Will look outside in to enhance cancer R&D